Feedback & Reports

1 Barbel, 2 Chub

Fished from 9 - 6pm on a beautiful wind-free autumn day. The first overnight frost of the year meant that it was still only 2 degrees when well wrapped up in the last of the mist at the start. Water now cool at 8 degrees. Fished bugs, spiders and unweighted flashback nymphs, and emergers, and all worked at different times and places during the day. Very few rises as there were very few flies - until after midday, and then just a few small olives / PWs, together with some small olives at the bottom of the beat after 4.30 p.m. The latter welcomed by the grayling as well as me! Had fish on pink shrimp, size 18 FB dark olive nymphs, Red Tag, and size 18-20 pale HE and olive Ducks Duns. Whilst the risers took the DDs, most of the ladies who came up for them were non-risers, mainly fishing foam lanes, and often in seams in pretty shallow marginal water. Grayling from 9 -14” plus one 11” OOS trout.
A great day out, on one of the best upper Wye beats, was also made so much better by the great work from the Beat owner; the significantly improved and safer access to the top half of the beat is most welcome, especially for old men with dodgy knees and aging decrepitude - thank you! Just a pity that 1m of water on the NRW gauge was pushing through a tad too much to get the best out of it.

1 Trout, 15 Grayling

Afternoon session very hard going today colour in river completely gone running clear and very cold,2 chub late on on luncheon meat.

2 Chub

Frost overnight meant a brisk morning but very little wind. Pretty quiet day, apart from constant bombardment of falling acorns. Tough going finding fish but managed to winkle a few out using ptn, partridge and purple spiders. Beautiful beat all to myself and one otter mid afternoon.

1 Trout, 2 Grayling

This report is for 2 anglers CT and AW.

After a heavy frost at 3c last night, and having to clear the windscreen of ice before we set off I thought it was going to be a "tough day" but it turned out to be a good one!

CT - 11 Barbel and 4 Chub ( biggest Barbel weighed in at 5lb 1oz)

AW - 2 Chub

11 Barbel, 6 Chub

Fished all of the beat today with guest SP.
A few accidental trout but no salmon caught or seen.
The river level has dropped off quickly but the clarity was good today.

3 Trout

It looked to be a perfect day; overcast, not too cold and the river height was about right for an end of season fish. The water was a little coloured and I noticed an off white foam accumulating along the banks. Having read the alarming reports on the state of the river I imagined the was something released into the river by the local water treatment works.

During the day I saw one human in a canoe, and three salmon showing along the beat; one in Dog Hole, one in Stones and one in Corner Tree.

As a point of interest, the entry and egress points have become difficult to discern due to vegetation growth and I would suggest that Mick the ghillie be paid (by we fishers) to clear the entry and exit points and put up new signs at the beginning of the season.

Thank you Wye & Usk Foundation for all your efforts to encourage the return of the rivers to health.

A very enjoyable day, despite being chased out of the woods by a very aggressive pheasant. All barbel were in excess of 6 lb with the largest checking in at 9 lb 9 oz . Conditions were perfect once the cold start warmed up, the river level was good, and the cloud cover appeared.

4 Barbel, 4 Chub

Weather has been fine and bright and river level dropping. Method used - Ground bait , pellet and maggots.

2 Barbel, 6 Chub

1 Trout